Al Joumhouria” News Summary”
Al Joumhouria” News Summary”
Wednesday, 17-Apr-2024 22:47

As tensions continue to escalate along the Lebanese-Israeli border, Hezbollah launched a rocket at the town of Arab al-Aramsha in the Galilee, injuring 14 soldiers, 6 of whom are in critical condition. Israel intensified its strikes and also targeted the Iaat Plain in the Bekaa.

 

In politics, ambassadors of the "Quint" countries, except for the Saudi ambassador Walid Bukhari who apologized for his absence due to an urgent health issue, visited the leader of the Marada Movement, Suleiman Frangieh, the leader of the Kataeb Party, MP Sami Gemayel, and the National Accord Bloc. Alaa Mosaa, the Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt, stated: "Anyone seeking Lebanon's interests, unity, and stability should support any effort, even if it is modest."

 

Regionally, the war on Gaza entered its 194th day, with Israeli shelling persisting, targeting residential areas. This comes as Israeli military operations on the ground continue in some northern axes.

 

Regarding the Western Tehran front in Tel Aviv's response to the Iranian attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after meeting with the foreign ministers of Britain and Germany, valued Western advice, stating, "We make our decisions ourselves." He added that Israel will continue what he termed as "defending itself."

 

Qatari Prime Minister announced the "stumbling" of negotiations between Israel and Hamas regarding the Gaza war. He said, "We are trying as much as possible to address this setback, move forward, end the suffering of the people in Gaza, and simultaneously regain the hostages."

 

Internationally, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin reiterated Washington's support for Israel after the attack by Iran but also emphasized the importance of preventing the conflict from widening.

 

He affirmed that Washington will do what is necessary to assist in defending Israel.

 

While the White House announced that new US sanctions are awaiting Iran, President Joe Biden indicated that "we may slide into a war in the Middle East if Iran escalates its attacks, so Israel's defenses must be strengthened," urging the House to pass a bill funding Israel and Ukraine, stressing that "now is not the time to abandon either."

 

French President Emmanuel Macron stated that sanctions against Iran should be expanded to include those who assist it in manufacturing drones and missiles.

 

The German Foreign Minister stated, "The Middle East should not be allowed to slide into a situation that is completely unpredictable."

 

Economically, most stock markets in the Gulf closed lower on Wednesday, continuing the losses from the previous session, as officials from the Federal Reserve Board indicated that interest rates are likely to remain high for a longer period.

 

Economically, key stock market indices in the Gulf region declined after officials from the Federal Reserve Board indicated that interest rates are likely to remain high for a longer period.

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